DAHER-SOCATA delivered 40 aircraft in 2013
DAHER-SOCATA TBM 850 parked outside the factory at Tarbes, France
DAHER-SOCATA delivered 40 TBM 850s in 2013.
DAHER-SOCATA TBM 850 parked outside the factory at Tarbes, France
DAHER-SOCATA announced that 40 new TBM 850s were delivered in 2013, providing a five percent increase from 2012. This represented a 20 per cent market share for aircraft in its category, up from 18 per cent in 2012.
The 2013 deliveries bring total TBM-series aircraft received by customers up to 662 units, of which 338 are the TBM 850 version.
Stéphane Mayer, president and CEO of DAHER-SOCATA, said: “Aircraft manufacturing activity, with its successful TBM family, is a highly strategic business for DAHER-SOCATA and for DAHER.”
“It demonstrates our capacity to handle the full range of responsibilities of a complex aircraft program. This is unique in the market, and highly appreciated by our customers in the field of aerostructures and services,” added Mayer.
Nicolas Chabbert, senior vice-president of the DAHER-SOCATA Airplane Business Unit said: “The increased flexibility offered by the TBM 850 Elite version, introduced in 2012, along with the development of our international network and a constant commitment of DAHER-SOCATA and its partners to customer satisfaction also were strong contributors to the 2013 success.
Chabbert added that last year’s European regulatory change now allows commercial operators to fly passengers in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with single-engine aircraft, opening new opportunities for the company.
While the majority of TBM 850s purchased in 2013 were sold on the US market (72 per cent), strong levels of activity also were logged in other regions. Europe accounted for 10 per cent of the deliveries, with France taking the lead in this region for the first time since the TBM 700’s introduction.
Latin America represented 7.5 per cent of TBM 850 deliveries, with these aircraft handed over in Brazil, Chile and Mexico.
In addition to a TBM 850 provided for Australia, the company delivered an aircraft to Saudi Arabia, the first Middle East country to welcome a TBM.
